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Logistics companies and others using air cargo terminal facilities at the Zia international airport are, allegedly, forced to pay money at different points in addition to fees charged by the Biman, Bangladesh Airlines.
"The condition here is a travesty of civilised society", an employee of a logistics company sick and tired of paying extra money to get his work done in the air cargo terminal said.
It is alleged that the airport cargo terminal is a place where patrons need to give unofficial service charge at every twist and turn for using facilities for which they are paying Biman an official charge.
The Ansars at the entrance of the terminal regularly ask for money for letting cargo in. "That is only the beginning " complains one official of a reputed logistics company working in the terminal installation.
He said it seems that the international companies paying money to Biman as service charge for using the cargo terminal actually have to pay people at every level for service or there is no service available at all.
Moving goods to necessary location costs money. Getting goods scanned costs extra amount though the Biman is charging two cents for the purpose. The rate varies from Tk.50- 60, up to Tk.500. What is most amazing is the fact that a palette already packed and paid for could be opened and repacked only additional amount is paid.
In the backdrop of the above, Bangladesh Biman has refixed terminal handling charges (THC) for export cargo at the rate USD0.05 instead of 0.04 per kg with effect from February 01 next.
Those who would be paying the extra money would certainly be feeling extremely undone because of the alleged malpractice detailed above. No representative of any company would be willing to come on record about the above seedy practice for a number of reasons.
Firstly, they are sure of being physically attacked if they name anybody. Secondly, it is humiliating to be forced to accept such a situation and thirdly, they would certainly be stopped from using the facilities of air cargo terminal thereby creating serious disruption in reaching consignments to their destinations. The practice of offering unofficial service charge in itself adds to the cost of freight.
General Manager, cargo terminal S.M. Mosaddeque Hussain expressed readiness over telephone to deal with any such allegation and malpractice quickly. He, however, asserted that no one representing any body, not even from ACAB (Association of Cargo Agents of Bangladesh), has ever verbally or in written form complained about any nefarious practice in the terminal.
He argued that the system adopted in the cargo terminal's export section is quite transparent and compliant to fare practice. Most space is given to vegetable export as per government policy. The association representing 400 fruits and vegetable exporters has been given the choice of nominating their own exporters who would get the space. This was done as back as July 27, 2002. Therefore, any room for manipulation is not there, he claimed.
He further explained that since vegetable cargo gets preference in peak season the space is booked as per the need of the vegetable exporters. During the lean season, he argued, "we actively court dry cargo exporters like RMG sector. Therefore, misbehaving with them is out of the question". "We are going out of our way to invite them because we need their cargo during lean season" he explained.
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